As is well known and understood, stretch-tape is a fairly recent product development to be employed in the bundling of various packages to be shipped. As its name implies, the tape is stretched around such products, in an attempt to hold them securely in place. Along with the advent of stretch-tape have been suggestions as to the manners in which such a development can be used. Arrangements available have, for certain applications, required the use of two hands for performing an operation, while other suggestions have related to a single-hand usage. However, there has been found to be a need for a simple device, easily constructed and operated, inexpensive to manufacture, and which still continues to provide all the advantages of stretch-taping no matter at what angle the hand-held device is being utilized at. As will be readily appreciated, when the apparatus is being utilized in the wrapping of complex articles--e.g. furniture, lumber, cartons, pipes, drawers, etc.--it becomes necessary to effectuate the securement whether the device is being held upright, downwardly, horizontally, or at any angle inbetween. A self-contained unit, with a built-in dispenser that can do all of this, would prove greatly advantageous.
Additionally, it would be advantageous if a design were made available which would operate in context where both single-handed, and two-handed operations could be had with the same type construction. This, of course, extends the range of use of a stretch-tape wrapping device--especially, if a second such unit need not have to be purchased.
And, of obvious importance, is the need for a wrapper that affords a reliable braking action in insuring that the tape will be stretched, to be broken from off-the-roll when the articles being wrapped have been tied to satisfaction.